gamescom congress 2016 Details Impressive Variety

How about in-car gaming? Game-based applications in medicine? eSports in the classroom? Whether they are a vision of the future or already an established part of our everyday life – on 18 August 2016, over 80 national and international speakers will discuss these topics at the gamescom congress in Cologne. Covering the key topics of knowledge, business, applied interactive technologies (APITS), legal and life, the event will offer insightful discussions on the innovative capacity and versatile applications of computer games. The congress will be opened with a welcoming speech by Franz-Josef Lersch-Mense, Minister for Federal Affairs, Europe and Media and Head of the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia, together with the Major of Cologne Elfi Scho-Antwerpes. Tickets are already available at www.gamescom-congress.com.

Media Minister Franz-Josef Lersch-Mense:

‘Ever more areas of life can no longer be imagined without the use of gaming applications: they help fire brigades prepare for emergency situations or companies train their employees. The gamescom congress is the central platform for discovering the range of applications and the potential of the ever-expanding games industry.’

Henriette Reker, Lord Mayor of Cologne:

‘Computer games are much more than a digital pastime for the media hub of Cologne. They drive innovation for our economy and are a core element of youth culture. The gamescom congress showcases what games have to offer and is likewise a core element of gamescom.’

Following the motto ‘The Future Plays’, the gamescom congress sheds light on the potential of computer games and video games, providing business representatives and visitors from the spheres of culture, education, politics and science a forum for sharing ideas with the gaming industry. Spread over five key topics, over 30 talks and panel discussions will highlight a varied range of aspects and ideas that transcend the industry.

The congress will open with the panel discussion ‘The car of the future as a place to play’. Here, Marcus Kühne (Audi), Alexander Klotz (Continental) and Alexander Mankowsky (Daimler) will offer exciting insights into the topic of on-board entertainment in self-driving vehicles. In the talk ‘Pimp my Ride: Rollercoasters & Virtual Reality’, Thomas Wagner (VR Coaster) and Michael Mack (Mack Media/Europapark) will discuss how spectacular amusement rides may be made even more thrilling through the use of VR applications.

The panel ‘Everything remains different: The future of youth media protection’ will focus on the challenges of youth protection in computer games. Felix Falk (USK /IARC), Andreas Fischer (Commission for Youth Media Protection), Stefan Schellenberg (JusProg) and Christina Schwarzer (MdB/CDU) will present new information, technologies and distribution channels as well as cultural characteristics and global trends. The talk ‘The experiment: eSports as a school subject’ will explore how computer games can be suitably integrated in the school curriculum. The Swedish school principal Andreas Eriksson (ArlandaGymnasiet) will present the pilot project from Märsta and offer a look at the pros and cons after having a year of eSports in classes.

The topic ‘Cultural criticism and critical culture: Games in media’ revolves around the media coverage of digital games. Max Fraenkel (ZDF), Jan Küveler (Die Welt), Astrid Maier (Stanford University) and Rainer Sigl (videogametourism.at) debate the relevance of games for cultural pieces as well as the way in which the medium is covered.

The fact that digital games are also used successfully as drivers of innovation beyond the gaming industry is exemplified by the talk ‘Sea Hero Quest’ with Wolfgang Kampbartold (Deutsche Telekom). The mobile game evaluates anonymous game data on the basis of the navigation behaviour and spatial orientation of healthy people, thereby supporting fundamental research in dementia.

Entry to the gamescom congress begins at 9 a.m. on 18 August. The congress programme runs from 10 a.m. until 5.30 p.m. in the North Congress Centre at Koelnmesse. Press accreditations are available here: http://bit.ly/1UeC22U

gamescom congress information at a glance:

Tickets are on offer for both categories at an early bird rate of Euro 49.00 or Euro 85.00 respectively up to and including 7 July 2016

Tickets are available at the event box office for Euro 69.00 or Euro 109.00 respectively

Tickets for students and teachers cost Euro 25.00. A verification is required and must be shown at the day of the conference

Advanced training:
This year, gamescom congress is once again recognized as a training program for teachers and educators. Participants can request a corresponding document on the day of the event and have a certificate issued for themselves at the event.

About gamescom congress 2016

gamescom congress 2016 takes place on Thursday, 18 August from 9.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. in the Congress Centre North at Koelnmesse as part of gamescom, Europe’s leading business platform for the gaming industry. In keeping with the motto ‘The future plays’, the congress sheds light on how digital games permeate our everyday lives and shape societal discourse. Its focus and diverse range of topics make gamescom congress unique in Germany. The congress is hosted by Koelnmesse GmbH and BIU — Bundesverband Interaktive Unterhaltungssoftware e. V. (Federal Association of Interactive Entertainment Software), sponsored by the City of Cologne and the Minister for Federal Affairs, Europe and Media of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, and organised by Aruba Events GmbH. Further information is available at www.gamescom-congress.com.